A civil lawsuit has been filed in Florida claiming that 18-year-old Max Matus is the rightful owner of the Shohei Ohtani 50-50 home run ball that is set to be auctioned off. The lawsuit was filed against the Goldin auction house and Chris Belanski, the man who currently has possession of the ball, as well as his friend, Kelvin Ramirez. The lawsuit alleges that Matus was able to obtain possession of the ball during a Sept. 19 game at loanDepot Park in Miami, but Belanski forcefully took it from him. Matus, who was celebrating his 18th birthday at the game, is seeking to prevent the sale of the ball and is asking the court to hold it in a secure location until a decision is made.
Despite the lawsuit, Goldin auction house has announced that they will proceed with the auction of the Ohtani 50-50 ball. The CEO of Goldin, Ken Goldin, stated that after reviewing the allegations and images included in the lawsuit, they plan to move forward with the auction. Belanski reportedly contacted Goldin the day after Ohtani’s record-breaking game to set up the deal to sell the ball. The Los Angeles Dodgers had offered Belanski $300,000 for the ball, but he declined the offer.
The auction for the Ohtani 50-50 ball is set to begin with an opening bid of $500,000. Potential buyers will have the opportunity to purchase the ball for $4.5 million through Oct. 9, one week before the auction is scheduled to end. However, if bidding reaches $3 million before Oct. 9, the $4.5 million buy-it-now option will disappear. The auction is expected to attract significant interest and could potentially lead to a substantial sale price for the historic piece of baseball memorabilia.
Matus and his attorneys are hoping to stop the sale of the Ohtani 50-50 ball and are seeking to have the ball held in a mutually agreed secure location while they await the outcome of the lawsuit. The lawsuit claims that Belanski forcibly took the ball from Matus during the game, and Matus is asserting his right as the rightful owner of the ball. The legal battle over the ownership of the ball is likely to continue until a decision is made by the court.
The dispute over the ownership of the Ohtani 50-50 ball highlights the intense interest and value placed on baseball memorabilia by collectors and fans. The ball, which holds historical significance as it was used for Ohtani’s record-breaking home run, has attracted significant attention and could potentially fetch a high price at auction. The outcome of the lawsuit and auction will determine who ultimately becomes the rightful owner of this prized piece of baseball history.
Despite the legal challenges, Goldin auction house is moving forward with the auction of the Ohtani 50-50 ball and is confident in their decision to do so. The auction house is prepared to handle any potential legal repercussions and believes that the auction will proceed smoothly. The high stakes involved in the sale of this historic baseball artifact has created a contentious legal battle, and the outcome of the case remains uncertain as both parties fight for ownership of the valuable memorabilia.
